The pagoda sits on a hill in Kyauk Taw Township’s Tin Ma Village, which is located along the upper reaches of the Kaladan River, the longest river in Arakan State.

The police officer in charge of the case, who is based at Mrauk U District’s police unit, confirmed that the Buddha images were destroyed by unknown individuals.

“The Mrauk U district police chief is arriving here now to investigate the matter. I am also accompanying him. As far as I know, the heads and arms of 8 Buddha statues have been totally damaged,” said the police officer.

Although the officer handling the case wasn’t able to provide any details about how the statutes were damaged, he did say that Mrauk U District’s police unit has “started the investigation process and is talking to some youths who found the damaged statues inside the pagoda.”

Apparently, some youths from Tin Ma Village found the damaged Buddha statues on the ground and informed village elders about the matter.

U Maung Kyaw Tha, an Arakan National Party leader from Kyauk Taw Township, claimed that local Buddhist people are getting angry because the number of such cases has been increasing lately in the region.

“We are really disappointed with this incident. It’s the second time in a month in which Buddha statues have been destroyed in our township,” said U Maung Kyaw Tha.

On July 14th,  five Buddha statues were destroyed in Taung Bwe Village, and village residents are still angry about the incident.

U Maung Kyaw Tha also said that the local Buddhist community believed that thugs have been involved with such violent activities in the township, although nobody has been arrested in connection with the damaged Buddha statutes yet.